A rustic wine with some sharp elbows, but there’s enough berry, licorice, soy sauce and grilled beef flavor to satisfy. With sturdy tannins, it’s a nice barbecue wine. ——S.H.(9/1/2011)—— 85

Fire up the grill, or pan fry a juicy steak to eat with this robust red wine, a Bordeaux blend with 24% Syrah. It’s bone dry and tannic and juicy in berries, cherries, currants, leather and herbs, and while it’s an easy sipper, the structure was harder to achieve than you might think.——S.H.(4/1/2010)—— 87

Astringent and herbal, a taut wine marked by tobacco, oregano and mint notes. But it’s not without its charms. Bone dry, with thick, gentle tannins and pronounced acidity, it nonetheless has a taste and individuality that make it interesting.——S.H.(6/1/2003)—— 87